Bengaluru, Feb 21: Historian Ramachandra Guha on Thursday refuted Karnataka home minister Basavaraj Bommai's claim that the latter had apologised for police allegedly manhandling him during an anti-CAA protest in the city, saying he received no such call or apology.
The writer further said even if such an apology had been offered, he would have rejected it.
"The Home Minister of Karnataka has claimed on the floor of the State Assembly that he apologised to me by phone for the manhandling by the Bengaluru police on 19th December 2019. This is false.
I received no such call or apology," Guha tweeted.
"Even if such an apology had been offered, I would have rejected it.
The imposition of Section 144 was illegal (as the Karnataka High Court has since held) and I was proud to be one of thousands of peaceful protesters who defied the States arbitrary action on that day," he said in another tweet.
During his reply to the debate on law and order situation in the state, Bommai on Wednesday claimed that he had apologised to Guha.
The minister was apologising to senior Congress MLA and former Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar for police serving him notice and detaining him along with others at Mangaluru airport in December for trying to enter the city despite restrictions following violence there.
Stating that anti-CAA protests have taken place peacefully across the state, he had said, there might have been minor discrepancies, like that with historian Ramachandra Guha, being manhandled during a protest.
"I have called and apologised to him," he had said.
Guha was detained on December 19 for staging a demonstration against the Citizenship Amendment Act and National Register of Citizens at the Town Hall here, in defiance of the prohibitory orders imposed in the city.
He was taken away by police personnel and led to a police vehicle parked nearby.
Leader of Opposition in the assembly and former chief minister Siddaramaiah said Bommai has committed a "perjury" in the House, and asked him to apologise to people and Guha in front of media.
"Bommai has committed a perjury on the floor of the House. It answers the question of where @BJP4India workers derive their motivation to spread fake news.
Bommai has insulted the people whom he represents," he tweeted and demanded that he apologize to people and Guha.
Comments
sangh parivar is trying sabotage karnataka by voilence, loot, disturbance, distruction etc. They are agitating for no reason. Their leaders are desparate on the publicity of congress Govt and have hired unemployed goons to create trouble. Police should arrest bjp MLS from Sirsi for being responsible for the voilence which resulted in loss of property worth crores of rupees and Court should order bjp to pay for it. Leavy fine on this hate monger bjp mla who is useful for nothing.
simha you can now report to amit, that your friends were able to do a violent protest, and despite your failure this one was a good one. it can be used to say that the government is undermining majority ;). ….but central remains yours and how can you undermine the majority???oh thats the RSS way of agitation
They are trying alll the means to win next Poll. i dont think these outfits are from same city. spreding communualism is the main intention of these goons to try and harm as much as possible to make to next election..
Anti Nationalist set IGPs Car on fire. Pathetic situation of Police Dept. in Karnatak. Send all anti nationals behind the bar.
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